Charming and fashionable to a T, Milan is a dream destination for tons of grown-ups. Yet the city is also brimming with activities that kids will love. That’s exactly what I’ll show you today in this guide to Milan for families.
From kid-friendly museums to thrilling activities like indoor skydiving, there are a bunch of family-friendly things to do in Milan that’ll keep you and your little ones entertained for days.
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Where to stay in Milan with your family
Check out a few accommodation options that are particularly popular with families.
- Best Western Plus Hotel Galles: Located right by a subway stop on Milan’s busiest shopping street (Corso Buenos Aires), this hotel screams convenience. Better yet, kids can take a dip in its indoor swimming pool as parents relax in the sauna or in the Turkish bath.
- Brera Apartments: These roomy apartments in the bohemian Brera district have air-conditioning and a kitchenette, in case your kids would rather have you cook for them than eat out. They accommodate up to six grown-ups and one kid.
- Duomo Hotel & Apartments: A mere five-minute walk from Milan Cathedral, this three-star hotel is perfect for exploring the historic core. It has seven kinds of rooms for three to four guests.
- NH Collection Milano President: This upscale location by Spanish hotel chain NH has a fabulous breakfast buffet. It’s not very close to the subway, but it’s still walking distance from Piazza del Duomo. The larger rooms can accommodate up to six guests.
A guide to Milan for families: Top things to do
1. Climb up Milan Cathedral’s rooftop terrace
There’s at least one thing anyone visiting Milan — regardless of age — can’t miss: a visit to the city’s cathedral. The gothic masterpiece inspires awe even in those who are too young to grasp its historic and artistic value.
When I was growing up, Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame was all the rage. I’m not sure how familiar with it kids are these days, but I’m positive gargoyles, knights, and all things medieval still have enormous appeal with them.
Plus, climbing up the rooftop terrace through its maze-like stairs to discover unobstructed views of the whole city will definitely make feel like a thrilling adventure.
2. Take a family-friendly city tour
Exploring a historic city can take its toll on any kid’s patience. Luckily, though, Milan has a considerable offer of family-friendly walking tours that will keep your little ones entertained as you pay attention to the guide’s explanations.
These itineraries typically use storytelling that will capture kids’ attention by adding bits about kings, castles, and legends, plus fun activities that feel almost magical.
At Piazza Mercanti, for instance, they’ll get to whisper into one column and hear each other from the other side of the arcade.
And since strategic stops for pizza and gelato are also included, children and grown-ups alike will be ecstatic by the end of the tour.
3. Have a picnic at Parco Sempione
If kids are made of the same stuff as back when I was one, they love snacks and running outdoors. When these two things merge, you have an unbeatable combo.
A picnic in the park will ensure hours of quality time with your family and is a great thing to do in the afternoon.
Parco Sempione, the largest green area in the city center, is beautifully landscaped and boasts a huge lawn where a picnic feels almost mandatory.
What’s more, there’s a handful of grocery stores around the park — so you grab everything on the go and even surprise your kids. Does that sound like a plan?
4. Take the kids to the Children’s Museum
This is quite possibly the best thing to do in Milan with toddlers. Milan’s Children Museum (MUBA) was designed as a sort of educational playground that will awaken kids’ creative side.
The museum’s programming includes interactive labs where kids and parents can learn and have fun together. On top of that, MUBA’s bilingual instructors ensure foreign visitors feel as welcome as Italian families.
5. Explore the Museum of Science and Technology
Submarines, moon rocks, and even a full-scale carrier rocket model are just some of the things on display at Milan’s Museum of Science and Technology.
The museum’s official name fittingly honors Leonardo Da Vinci (Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci), and in fact, one of its sections brings the genius’ legacy to life.
Kids of all ages will marvel at all the intricate machines, both big and small, that can be found here. The museum has about 20 theme sections, each with its own set of labs and activities aimed at children.
6. Let them run wild at WOW Spazio Fumetto
Amazingly, the Children’s Museum isn’t the only attraction in Milan that’s been designed specifically for kids. WOW Spazio Fumetto is devoted to the magical world of comics, from Italian classics to all-time favorites like Spider-Man and Peanuts.
This isn’t your regular museum, though. Sure, there are plenty of wall prints, life-size statues, and action figures around. Yet kids will get to run around freely at the theme playground located behind the main building.
And of course, adults who love comics as I do (who doesn’t?) will get a unique chance to connect with their inner child here.
7. Catch a soccer match together at the San Siro Stadium
San Siro is arguably Italy’s no. 1 stadium, thanks to the legendary rivalry between Milan’s two major teams: AC Milan and Internazionale. If your crowd is a fan of soccer, then you absolutely have to watch a match there.
You might not be able to catch an AC Milan vs. Inter game, as they don’t happen that often. Still, the atmosphere is contagious regardless of who’s playing!
8. Have a blast at Europark Idroscalo
Did you know Milan has its own sea? Well, sort of. In the summer, the Milanese who haven’t left for the coast flock to the Idroscalo, the city’s former seaplane airport.
While that’s already a nice place to go with your kids, right next to it you’ll find another fantastic attraction: Europark Idroscalo.
Milan’s one and only amusement park isn’t exactly Disneyland, yet it does feature all the rides you’d expect it, from a roller coaster to a Ferris wheel and from a merry-go-round to a pirate ship.
9. Visit the Museum of Natural History
This is yet another activity that older kids might enjoy better than younger ones due to all the potentially spooky stuff around.
If your little ones are fascinated by dinosaurs, fossils, and dioramas, they’ll love Milan’s three-million-item Museum of Natural History.
Though a tiny fraction of the size of its New York counterpart, the museum is one of the most important of its kind in all of Europe.
It stands within the lovely Indro Montanelli Public Gardens, where you can stroll around with your family after you’re done touring the exhibition rooms.
10. Tour the Sforza Castle
The Sforza Castle is a Milanese must-see, especially if you’re touring the city with your family. Its 10+ museums, which house kids’ favorites like Egyptian sarcophagi and plate armors, can keep everyone entertained for hours.
Besides, since we’re talking about a genuine medieval castle — complete with battlements and secret passageways — children will love it even if you take only a guided tour of the building.
11. Visit the Civic Aquarium
If you’re looking to visit an impressive aquarium while in Italy, you’ll have to head to Genoa, not Milan.
That said, the city does have a small aquarium where you can take your little ones if they’re particularly passionate about marine life.
The 100-year-old aquarium was completely refurbished in 2006 and now features a narrow shark tunnel as well.
12. Watch a kid-friendly concert
Because it’s never too early to instill a love of music in kids, you should take yours to a child-oriented concert while in Milan.
La Scala, for example, hosts concerts and even operas targeting children. This year, an operatic version of The Little Prince will be staged there from October through March 2023.
Alternatively, head to the Auditorium Fondazione Cariplo. On weekends, the venue’s schedule is entirely dedicated to families; concerts aim to introduce geniuses like Mozart and Beethoven to younger audiences.
13. Check out the spooky church of San Bernardino alle Ossa
I’m not saying your five-year-old will adore this. But your ten-year-old might, if they’ve reached that phase where eerie things stop being scary to become intriguing and even alluring.
The chapel within the church of San Bernardino alle Ossa is notorious for its floor-to-ceiling bone displays. Oddly enough, skulls have been grouped together to make up huge crosses that give the tiny room an otherworldly feel.
The whole place feels spookier than your favorite horror movie, especially when you find out those bones have been stacked there for 300+ years.
14. Go indoor skydiving with them
Now, this isn’t a quintessential thing to do in Milan, yet it’s definitely a lot of fun. Children age four or more can experience this once-in-a-lifetime adventure with their parents at Aero-Gravity.
The city’s vertical wind tunnel is 100% family-friendly, as it allows up to five people inside. Though it’s 12km (7.5mi) away from the city center, Aero-Gravity is at a short distance from the Rho Fieramilano subway station.
Skydiving sessions last a couple of minutes, but they’re guaranteed to be some of the most exciting minutes of your life.
15. Catch a show at the planetarium
In case you take your kids to the Museum of Natural History, then a stop by the neighboring planetarium would be a natural consequence.
Milan’s planetarium opened in 1930 and is one of the oldest projection planetariums on the planet. It hosts multiple shows every day, including a few specifically meant for children.
16. Watch the cats at the ruins of the Imperial Palace
If you think Roman ruins across Italy have been uninhabited ever since they were abandoned, you’re dead wrong. Many of them went on to be conquered by another species: felines.
While Milan isn’t dotted with ancient remains like Rome, it did serve briefly as the capital of the empire and as such used to have imposing monuments of its own.
The former imperial palace on Via Brisa is the largest ruin in town and is home to an adorable cat colony. Visiting it can make for an off-the-beaten-path activity in Milan for families.
Volunteers take care of every feline colony in the city, which means all the kitties are healthy and well-fed.
Conclusion
Milan is known for many great things, from refined cuisine to intense nightlife, but it’s still underrated as a kid-friendly place.
So I hope my guide to Milan for families will help you have a lot of fun with your loved ones in Italy’s fanciest city.
And in case you’re planning to visit again without the kids — you should! — I bet you could use a three-day Milan itinerary.
